Gresham: Jones resigns as provost, to leave for MNU at end of year

Dr. Mary Jones has resigned as provost effective at the end of the school year, according to President Loren Gresham. (Photo from snu.edu)

By Brad Crofford, Editor-in-chief

Dr. Mary Jones has resigned as the university’s provost, according to President Loren Gresham in an email to faculty provided to The Echo.

Jones will serve through the remainder of this academic year before beginning as provost at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan.

Jones arrived at SNU as a marketing professor in 2006 and began serving as provost in 2008. Prior to her time at SNU, she had served as the Chief Academic Officer at Africa Nazarene University in Nairobi, Kenya from 2001-2006 and had taught business at MNU before that.

“She has worked tirelessly through the challenges of HLC reaccreditation, stresses brought on by the economic recession, the retirement, resignation and/or replacement of valuable faculty colleagues, and many other items of service,” Gresham said.

Gresham said that the Kansas City area, where MNU is located, has been Jones’ lifelong home, and “she still has family there to whom she will be available.”

“Dr. Jones is a generous and gracious lady who has dedicated her life to Christ and to His causes. She has established many friends at SNU among faculty and staff. She will be missed,” Gresham said.

Plans for filling Jones’ position are still in development as Gresham was informed on Friday, Feb. 15, of the vote by MNU’s trustees.